Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Romans

Romans 1:18-32 Part 1

INTRO:  Anyone like to watch the courtroom dramas on TV? Remember LA Law, Perry Mason, Mattlock, Law and Order even Ally McBeal.. What I like is how the prosecuting attorney in their opening remarks will lay out their case against the defendant. They  tell the jury the details of the crime, why and how it was committed, and what they think the consequence of the crime should be. Then they spend the rest of the time proving their case.

EXP: Romans 1:18-32 reads much like the transcript from a court case. In this courtroom we find Paul, the prosecuting attorney who is representing God's moral standard. God Himself, is the presiding judge, the jury is made up of those reading this letter and all humanity is on trial. The charge: unrighteousness before God.

         Paul's aim is to show that the whole of mankind in morally bankrupt and by themselves unable to claim a favorable verdict at the judgment seat of God. Last week, Paul in vs. 16-17 had given us the conditions of acquittal, which is 'trusting by faith the Gospel of God and being in relationship with JC, the embodiment of God's righteousness'. But before one can be acquitted of a crime, the charges against them must  be heard and evidence against them presented. In other words, before you can hear the 'Good News' of the Gospel  you must first grasp the full measure of the bad news, the case against you.

BACKGROUND
 Last week we found the reason Paul was eager to preach the Gospel to the Romans.
    Vs. 17 'For in it the righteousness of God is being revealed.' Paul didn't stop there. You see there was yet another reason Paul was eager...this is found in vs. 18. 'For the wrath of God is being revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.'

TRANS: Romans 1:18-23 is Paul's presentation of God's case against mankind and it will show us WHY God is revealing His wrath. The main statement is found in vs. 18 and there is a downward spiral to vs. 23 evidenced by the words 'for' and 'because'. (Remember the pealing of the onion, the digging deep to the theological foundation) Let's enter the courtroom and hear God's case being argued by the prosecuting attorney, Paul of Tarsus.

I. Why God shows His wrath. (Rom. 1:18-23)
    A. Mankind suppresses God's truth. (vs. 18-20)
        1. Definitions
            Wrath: holy aversion to all that is evil. It is the appropriate response of a righteous God.
            Ungodliness: lack of proper reverence for God.
            Unrighteousness: wickedness, evil.
            Suppresses: to forcibly hold down, to restrain.

        2. How is the truth of God known?
            God has given us a two-fold revelation of   Himself. The text tells us that the knowledge of God is evident because He revealed it:
              a. 'within them": (conscience)
              b. 'to them' (creation)

          Man's intelligence and observational powers as well as his moral insight and spiritual intuition are all involved in God's self-revelation to mankind.We see God revealed in Creation and know there is a creator, and our conscience, that voice deep within us, backs this up.

        3. The problem
            Mankind knows the truth about God but does not want to allow it's truth to work in their lives. So what do they do? They suppress it so that they can  live their own lives free of conviction and guilt.

ILL:  In secular Greek the term 'suppress' was used to describe a  helmsman 'holding' the course as his boat battles the wind   and current.

ILL: A little boy smuggles his pet dog into his room to spend   the night. When he hears his parents coming, he put the   dog in his toy box and sits on the lid. He then tries to talk   to his parents while ignoring the repeated thumping of his   poor pet.

         Paul carefully chose the word 'suppresses' to show our sheer determination to stand firm against the truth.

APP: Paul in his courtroom drama is opening our eyes to the fact that all who are w/o Christ are in the constant process of holding down the truth and therefore are deserving God's wrath.

        4. The result
            Our problem is not a lack of spiritual sophistication leading to confusion but an unrighteousness and ungodly suppression, a stifling of the truth leading to rejection. All this results in the fact that before our righteous and holy God, we are w/o excuse, Paul argues. It also means God is just when He condemns all sinners to eternal torment in hell. Heb. 2:3 says 'How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?'

TRANS: With this in mind, not only have we suppressed the truth of God but Paul continues God's case by showing that

    B. Mankind ignores God's truth (vs. 21)
        1. Knew Him but didn't honor Him as God
            To honor means to give praise and worship. To make HIS name great and to enlarge HIS testimony among the
            people.  Basically, we don't respect God.
        2. Knew Him but did   not give Him thanks
            Paul argues that we have forgotten or willfully refused to thank God.

ILL: John Milton has called this 'base ingratitude' William Shakesphere said 'Blow, blow thou winter wind, thou are not so unkind as man's ingratitude'

          Are you thankful?  Do you let the Lord know ? There are times in our service when I give you the opportunity to stand and give thanks to the Lord for who He is or for what He has done in your life... Everyone should stand up...but only a few do. 'But I am embarrassed to speak in a group' you say. But the Word of God says that those who are unrighteous and ungodly, those who will endure the wrath of God are those who refuse to give God thanks....it's harsh, I know, but think about it.

        3. The result of not honoring and thanking God.
            'Their foolish heart was darkened' When truth is suppressed and ignored, in time the ability to recognize and receive
             truth is impared. It becomes easier to hear and believe the lies.

TRANS: In vs. 22-23 Paul brings out his big guns as the courtroom is now hushed with guilt. Paul's argument hits theological rock bottom. God shows His wrath  because

    C. Mankind replaces God's truth. (vs. 22-23)
        1. The process
            Having suppressed God's truth and ignoring God man leaves himself w/o a God. But man has an  inert need to worship. If it will not be the true God then man will worship something else.  Paul tell us we then become fools.

        2. The fool
            DEF: Worldly
                   A fool may be an uninhibited person who is the life of a party.
                   A fool may be an unfortunate person who is deficient in intellect.
                   A fool may be a useless person given to unwise choices.
            DEF: Biblical
                   A fool is a person who willfully makes moral decisions contrary to God's instruction, who has adopted a stance in
                   opposition to God, one who has said in his heart, there is no God. (Ps. 14:1)

          The downward spiral of the foolish man's life has seen him exchange knowledge for foolishness, glory for shame, incorruption for corruption and the truth for a lie. It has brought him to idolatry.

         3. The idol
             Note that first on the list of  the idols man chooses to worship in place of God is man himself. This is the fulfillment of Satan's purpose when he told Eve in Gen. 3:5 'Ye shall be like god'.

NOTE: Idolatry is directly related to the image of God. Mankind was not only to be a reflection of it's creator but to shine that reflection to those who are in darkness so that others will see that God is.

            Idolatry is taking the darkness and reflecting it back to man, thereby leaving God out. Man now becomes the one worshipped, and the one who dictates who or what will be worshipped. In idolatry, the true God is replaced by the god of the moment.

APP:  Certainly Pastor, you are not talking about me. I don't have any graven images in my home. I am not an idolater.
          -Idolatry is placing someone or something above God in the priorities of your life.
          -It is choosing to go to the beach or to the ball game instead of worshipping with the brethren on Sunday morning.
          -It is choosing not to read the Word of God because you have too many other things to do, like shopping or watching
            your favorite TV program.
          -It is listening to your boyfriend/girlfriend even though you know God to be saying something different.

CONCLUSION:
         Man's basic problem is his alienation from God which stems from the suppression, ignoring and replacing of God's truth. His rejection of God Himself. God is therefore just in His condemnation of man and in His revelation of His wrath against unrighteous mankind.  As you go thru this week, I want you to ask  yourself this question: How strong of a case does God have against me? If I were in Paul's courtroom today, how would I defend  myself? On what grounds would my case be argued? You see, the truth is, if you don't know JC as your personal Savior, you are in fact in Paul's courtroom and you stand guilty before a righteous God, without excuse!